Mississippians disappointed by news of Christmas on Ice

Mississippians are disappointed by the news that Christmas on Ice, a holiday event featuring ice skating and musical acts operated by Baptist Health Systems in Madison, is no more.

However, a group exploring the possibility of a permanent ice rink in the metro area could help matters.

For the past two years, Christmas on Ice attracted families from all over the state during the holiday season and early January. But the company, citing rain and decreasing reimbursements in light of health care reform, announced Friday the event won't take place this year.

Baptist solicited financial support to continue the program but to no avail, according to the press release.

Madison Mayor Mary Hawkins-Butler said the city is "very grateful" to Baptist for providing the experience.

"The event was a statewide event. In fact, there were people who enjoyed Christmas on Ice from neighboring states, so we're talking about something that was not just a community affair," Hawkins-Butler said. "Baptist had to make a business decision, and the business decision was that it was not economically feasible for them, but we enjoyed it while it was in our community."

Hawkins-Butler said she's heard from disappointed residents but that they said they understand it was a financial decision.

"At Baptist, we define stewardship as using our resources and talents responsibly to optimize value for our patients," President and CEO of Baptist Health Systems Chris Anderson said in the press release. "In this everchanging environment of healthcare reform and decreasing reimbursement for services rendered, we believe the dollars spent on Christmas On Ice can be better utilized maintaining the high standard care for which Baptist has received national recognition."

When contacted Monday, Baptist officials declined to provide any further information about the decision.

Madison resident and mother Jennifer Mulholland said her kids are "devastated."

"They were there Christmas, until midnight on New Year's Eve," she recalled. "Our kids are upset, and I'm upset because it gives something for the city of Madison to do during the winter and it brings all kinds of different people together."

Although Christmas on Ice is gone, an ice skating rink in the metro area may be in the near future. A group is looking to bring an ice facility to Jackson.

The group of investors conducted a survey at the beginning of this year to gauge interest in the project. Keith Turner, a Jackson attorney and another member of the group, said the results of the survey were very encouraging.

"It's still in the air as far as the actual business model, but we are moving forward and hoping to have the location chosen in the next two to three months and have it constructed and completed by next fall," Keith Turner, an attorney at Watkins & Eager and another member of the group, said Monday.

The popularity of Christmas on Ice led investors to take a look at bringing a facility to Jackson.